Sylvania



(No Model.)

J. P. FIGGINS.

WALL DESK.

Patented Apr. 17, 1894.

JW a

A TTOHWE Y S.

- UNrTnn STATES PATENT Ormes.

JOSEPH F. FIGGINS, OF WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-THIRD TO WILLIAM FRANKLIN ZANG, OF HARRISBURG, PENN- sYLvANIA.

WALL-DESK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 518,567, dated `.April 1*?, 1894.

` Application {iledMay 12,1893. `Serialllo,4=73,92V1. (No model.)

.To al@ whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, JOSEPH F. FIGGINs, of Washington city, in theDistrict of Columbia, have invented a new and useful Improvement 1n Nall-Desks, of which the following 1s a specification.

This invention relates generally to desks, `and particularly to that class thereof known as wall desks, in which the desk or cabinet is hung upon the vertical wall of the room at such a height that it can be used for writing purposes when the lid is lowered. v My invention also comprehends construct ing the desk with side supports so thatit can be set up on the floor like an ordinary desk and used as such.

The objects of my invention are rst, to

l provide a device embodying the above named characteristics that shall be exceedingly neat, slmple and compact; secondly, to provide an improved connection between the desk and lid whereby a rigid support is attained without the use of chains, legs or supporting arms.

With these objects in view my invention conslsts in the case or cabinet which may be suspended from the wall or supported on legs, said case having notched sides and a rounded lower plece, a vertically folding lid, having progecting strips secured thereto, and rigid st rips upon the side of the case with the hlnges connecting said side and lid strips.

My invention consists also in certain details of construction and combination of parts all of which will be fully described hereinafter and pointed out in the claims.

In'the drawings forming a part of this speciicatlon-Figure l is a perspective view of nl ylmproved desk opened. Fig. 2 is a side View of the desk closed, and Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view showing a desk adapted to rest upon the iioor.

For the purpose of enabling others to make and use my improved desk, I will describe its construction in detail, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which A A indicate the upright side pieces of the desk, orA the top cross piece and a' the bottom piece,thusprovidingarectangularshaped case or cabinetA which is subdivided intoa number of compartments by means of the horizonends as shown.

i tal partitions or shelves oaand the vertical partitionsct. This caseisaboutsixinches indepth so that books, dro., can be conveniently placed upon the shelves and the lid of the desk closed without interfering with said books. The case is also provided with a back c4 of `some thin material, but if desired this back can be dispensed with and the wall of the room used as a back; or the desk `can be made double, as hereinafter described, in which case, I would employ a central partition. This desk A is preferably hung upon the wall as shown in Fig. 1 and for this purpose I provide staples a5 at the sides of the same in which the hooks a6, (connected with the wall) are fastened, thus suspending the desk upon the face of the wall at a suitable height for writing purposes. If desired however, the side pieces A A may be extended far below the bottom pieces c as shown and thus provide side supports which rest upon the floor like an ordinary desk. In case the sides are extended `to Vproduce supports, an extra shelf a7 is arranged below the cross piece a', said shelf being intended to receive books, papers and the like. This shelf can also be used in the suspension type if desired. In either form of desks I employ a vertically folding lid B which is hinged at its lower edge to the case A by means of hinges ZJ which hinges are secured to the lower ends of the vertical strips C C and connected to the end strips D D, of lid B, near their lower The strips C C are rigidly secured to the outer faces of the side pieces A A, and the stripsDare secured to the edges D of the lid B, and form the boundary thereof. The front edge of the lower cross piece a is rounded as shown at a: in the arc of a circle, of which the pintle of the hinge is the center and the side pieces A are cut away as shown at y, for the purpose of allowing the lid B t0 fold down and assume a horizontal position. The pintle of the hinge is above the bottom of the lid and the edge of the shelf is rounded to permit the bottom of lid to enter the notch y, and on account of the hinge b, being connected with the strips D D above their lower ends, these projecting ends will swing around inthe arc of a circle until they abut against the ends of the rigid strips C and as these parts the purpose of rolling the copysheet E2, from are shaped and arranged to make the strips C and D meet at the same time the lid B and side pieces A contact, it will be seen that the lid has a Very secure support from two different points, the inner sides of the notches y being vertical to engage the lower edge of the lid B. The lid B extends only to the upper shelf d2 and has its outer face formed into a black one roll tothe other as desired. The forward rolls E being farther apart than the rolls E, keep't-he sheet tightly stretched, exposing only the copy desired, and as these rolls are loosely journa'led and revoluble, the sheet can be passed rapidly around the same wit-hout danger of tearing, andA a further advantage of having these rolls revoluble is that the sheet will last much longer. It will thus be seen that I provide a desk for childrens use which is readily convertible into a blackboard or drawing board, and also provide a novel construction of copy holder for use in connection with said drawing board. It will also be seen that the desk can be either hung from the wall or supported upon legs, and in either case the lid is connected in the novel manner beforedescribed, attaining a rigid support for the lid in a horizontal position without the use of chains, legs or supplementary arms.

When the desk is formed with side sup-v sister ports it may be made double, by providing a central partition and two lids and copy holders, or the central partition may be dispensed with. The outer face of the lid need not necessarily be a black board but may be finished as an ordinary folding lid and the copy holder may be'rernoved if desired, thus providing a desk for an adult.

The manner of using the desk is obvious, the lid being lowered for writing purposes and closed when used as a drawing board, said lid being secured by means of a fastening ar ranged in one of the strips C. It will also be understood that thedesk is of sutlicient depth tok receive books, pens, writing material, dac., so that it answers all purposes of an ordinary desk, and occupies only a very small space.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is#- 1. In a desk, a case, having notched sides, the rigid strips secured to the sides of the case, above the notches, the lid having side strips hinged to the rigid strips the lower edge of the case being rounded and the rear faces of the notches being vertical for-the purposes set forth'.

2. An improved desk comprising the side, top and bottom pieces and dividing partitions, the side pieces being notched and the bottom piece rounded as described, the rigid side strips, the folding lid and projecting side strips, and the hinges connecting the rigid side strips and said lid and side strips substantially as shown and described.

` JOSEPH F. FIGGINS. Witnesses:

FRED G. DIETERIOH, SoLoN C. KEMON. 

